Tamba Hali

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Tamba Hali

Tamba Hali on the cover of the Sporting News as a Penn State Nittany Lion.
Date of birth November 3, 1983 (age 23)
Place of birth Flag of Liberia Monrovia, Liberia
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight 275 lb (125 kg)
Position(s) Defensive end
College Penn State
NFL Draft 2006 / Round 1/ Pick 20
Career Highlights
Honors 2005 Big Ten
Defensive Lineman
of the Year
2006 Senior Bowl
Defensive MVP
Statistics
Team(s)
2006-present Kansas City Chiefs

Tamba Boimah Hali (born November 3, 1983, in Monrovia, Liberia) is a defensive end for the Kansas City Chiefs. He was the 20th overall pick out of Penn State Nittany Lions in the 2006 NFL Draft. Hali grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey and is a graduate of Teaneck High SchoolWith Alex Elliott Moore.

There was not much pre-draft hype for Hali heading into the 2006 NFL Draft until The Sporting News made his amazing story of escape from war-torn Liberia at age 11 their April 21, 2006 cover story[1]. NFL Scouts began to take notice, reporting that Hali presented himself excellently not only in his workout but also in his interview at the NFL Combine. On draft day, the Kansas City Chiefs chose him with the 20th overall pick, much higher than draft experts had him projected.

Hali finally became a permanent U.S. citizen on July 31, 2006[2] after living in the United States for more than a decade.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Hali fled civil war-torn Liberia at age ten, joining his father Henry, a Fairleigh Dickinson University chemistry professor and Teaneck High School teacher, in the United States. He has been motivated to become a NFL-caliber player by his desire to reunite with his mother, Rachel Keita, and bring her to the United States after not having seen her for more than twelve years.

[edit] High School

Hali was named an All-American at Teaneck High School in Teaneck, New Jersey and the #1 overall prospect in New Jersey. He also lettered in basketball.

[edit] College

Hali was named a 2005 consensus All-American, was a unanimous selection as the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, and was named first team All-Big Ten following his senior season at Penn State. He was instrumental in helping Joe Paterno's squad finish 11-1, winning the Big Ten and Orange Bowl titles that season.

He led the Big Ten with 11 sacks (tied for eighth nationally) and 17 tackles for loss and earned numerous accolades for his play. He was a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, presented to the nation's top defensive player, and the Ted Hendricks Defensive End Award.

Hali's season sack total is tied for sixth-best at Penn State and his 36 career tackles for loss are tied with Matt Millen for 10th best. Hali received the Robert B. Mitinger Award, which is given to the Nittany Lion football player who best personifies courage, character and social responsibility.

Hali was named defensive MVP of the 2006 Senior Bowl.

[edit] NFL Career

In 2006, Hali entered the NFL draft ranked as the #2 defensive end behind North Carolina State's Mario Williams. At 6 ft. 3 in. (1.91 m), 275 lb (125 kg), Hali is slightly undersized for an NFL defensive end, but he is a great pass rusher coming off the edge.

On April 29, 2006, Hali was chosen 20th overall by the Kansas City Chiefs in a surprise move. Hali was projected by many analysts to be selected later in the draft, but Kansas City did not hesitate to select the best player to help their struggling defense.

Making an early impression already in Chiefs camp, Tamba Hali has earned the nickname of "The TambaHawk" (a take on "Tomahawk"), and the starting position for defensive end.

On July 31, 2006, Hali was excused from the Chiefs two-a-day practices at training camp in River Falls, Wisconsin and flew back to his home in Teaneck, New Jersey to take his citizenship exam—the final step in his quest to become an American citizen. He passed the exam, and was sworn in as a permanent citizen of the United States later that day. [2].

On September 28, Hali's mother Rachel arrived in Kansas City and currently lives with Tamba on a one-year visa. On October 1, she saw Tamba play for the first time as the Chiefs shut out the 49ers 41-0. [3]

Hali won the Mack Lee Hill award as the top Chiefs rookie for 2006.[4]

At the end of the NFL season Tamba Hali led the Chiefs with 8 sacks, 4 more than #1 overall draft pick Mario Williams.

[edit] Trivia

  • Hali has an older half-brother, also named Tamba. This stems from a tradition in the Kissi culture wherein the second son born to a woman is always named "Tamba." (The first is traditionally named "Saah.") When the Hali family is together, they call the eldest "Big Tamba" and his 6 ft. 3 in. (1.91 m), 275-pound (125 kg) half-brother "Little Tamba"[1]. He also has a brother (Saah Hali) who is a middle school Social Studies teacher in Teaneck, New Jersey.
  • Cousin plays Cornerback on the Pitt Panthers football team;Martin Coleman.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "By the grace of God, I am alive", The Sporting News, April 13, 2006
  2. ^ a b "Chiefs rookie Hali becomes U.S. citizen", NFL.com, August 1, 2006
  3. ^ Chiefs defender Hali's mom finally sees him play Associated Press, 2 October 2006.
  4. ^ Larry Johnson, Tamba Hali earn Chiefs awards Associated Press, 12 January 2007.

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../t/a/m/Tamba_Hali_853f.html"